The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-05-26
ON HIGH LAND.
Why I Would Rather Be There
Than Anywhere Else.

We had been engaged, Mark and 1, since
we were babies, so to say; that is, when he
was still in knickerbockers, and Just out
of bibs, we had decided that when we grew
up and had house of our own, it was to be
our own, his and mine, and there we were
TO live together and live alone; and if the
chief Of our diet there was to be apple-tarts
and butter-scotches, that was our own af-
fair. 1t is thousand pities that it was about
that house that all the rout happened. For
the fact is, had the strongest sort of will,
and so had Mark; and when it came to the
point, it wasn't that house at all that l
wanted.
For, you see, the spot where lived, down
On the great meadow farms, was my sole
idea Of the beauty and pleasantness of the
world. Across the river, with it's high bank
crowned with feathery and always tremb-
ling and shining birches, the hills rose, far
md faint and purple vague; but here there
were only the long green levels OF grass
fields lying low and even with the river that
filed and sparkled in the reeds along the
edge, and flowed by US broad and grand on
its way to the sea. And when the sun shone,
and the sky was blue, and the south wind
was softly blowing, one seemed as near
Heaven, living there, as it is given one to be
on earth.
There were quite number Of dwelling
houses here, where the corners of several
of the great river farms converged, so that
although their lands stretched out in differ
ent directions, the buildings clustered to-
gether like village; and we always came
and went freely in each others houses, and
knew each others concerns, and were more
like one large family than strangers; and
paiuhhora ovarv ono on6 didpJf
want to go away from them. And when it
came to the question Of marrying and going
away, I was simply determined that
wouldn't 60 away, but that Mark should
come down to this little garden of Eden,
where knew every tint Of the ripe grass
on the meadow, every sparkle Of the water,
every fleece Of cloud upon the blue Of
heaven.
"And why not, Markl', urged. ''Here
is this immense farm, a really great prop
erty, and would you leave it to take care of
itself, and we go to live two miles away on
your fathers place, that bleak, lonesome
rock up in the air, shut in by pine forest,
ike great Fortress prison, a real dun
geoni"
'It isn't prison to me-" said Mark SIT
is the brightest spot in the world-it would
be if you were in it, Nan" Ny real name
Is Pamela; but thati the way people always
hsed me.
sAnd no neighbors therer' exclaimed
s'nobody to run in Of an evening, nobody to
talk to over the garden wall, nobody to
borrow of, nobody to show your new things
60, nobody if you're sick. One might as
well be buried alive. Ialways thought so.n
81 should want nobody but you, Nan. if
we were married and that was our home
Itwould be simply paradise"
SIT wouldn't be paradise to me without
any water to see. never liked the verse
in the Bible about there being no more sea.
Pretty Heaven that, without any sea to lock
at! / couldn't live without my river. I've
always had it running by, running up or
running down, coming from somewhere.
going to somewhere, life and motion. / al
ways look out the first thing in the morning
70 see if it's still there, andI listen for it at
night. And it makes two skies by night
one above and one below-with stars down
in the underworld; and then by day the
color, the changing light and color and the
pushing OF the tide, taxing you right into
the mysteries. o, it's stsgnation without
the riveri I'd as lief be dead"
Sand I think just as much of the pine
woods" he said, with the everlasting muir
muir of the boughs. And when a wind be-
gins to blow, long before we feel it down
below, the tree-tops know it, and are whisp-
sring about it one to another, like old witch
es brewing a storm"
"And there's nothing but patch of a
garden therein your fathers old place.
went on, without needing; ''and here are
these long rich grass lands. And how in
the world are we TO manage q farm two
miles away from it, / should like to known
II know" said Mark, easily. s.Just as you
40 two rods away"
tits impossible said I "You don't